Q. Dear Neil: If a large bottlebrush tree that froze to the ground at 9 degrees Fahrenheit in Houston in February is now sending out sprouts from the roots, will the tree grow back to normal size, or is it permanently damaged?
A. It will regrow to normal size if you have the patience. In fact, the cold probably did nothing to damage the roots, so you have a plant with a massive root system and very little top growth to support. Itâs going to be pushing a lot of nutrition and water up into the new growth. It may regrow very rapidly.